


To Travel West

by Kitty514



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Road Trip, picking up a dog on the way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-09-01 06:30:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8612908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitty514/pseuds/Kitty514
Summary: Sam and Bucky set out together to find a missing Steve, only to have their relationship be put into a new perspective.





	

Sam watched from the couch as Bucky paced back-and-forth across the floor of Steve’s apartment like an anxious dog. After about Bucky’s tenth time around the room, Sam sighed loudly. Bucky didn’t even turn his head in Sam’s direction. Sam sighed even louder. Still no response.

“Bucky.” Sam snapped. 

Bucky came to a standstill in the middle of the room, staring wide-eyed at Sam. “What?” 

“Just wondering if you’re trying to walk the floor to death.” 

Bucky glanced down at the floor and frowned. Then he sat down on the edge of the coffee table. “Do you think he’s okay?” He asked, still looking at the floor. 

“I don’t know, man.” Sam answered, studying the side of Bucky’s face casually. “It’s Steve. Who knows what he could’ve gotten himself into?” 

“He’s been gone for three days. Nobody can reach him to find out where he went.” Bucky looked over at Sam. He looked as distressed as Sam hated to admit he felt. 

Steve had left on some unknown personal mission with only a note left behind to inform Sam that’d he’d be gone. No concrete location, no real specifics. And all Sam got when he tried contacting Steve was radio silence. It was frustrating and troubling. 

Sam sighed and rubbed his temples. “The only thing I can think to do is go looking for Steve, but I have no idea where to start. He could be anywhere.” 

“Then we go to places he usually frequents, ask around, try to get information.” Bucky slid to the edge of the coffee table closest to Sam, one of his knees bumping Sam’s. “He mentioned a coffee shop he likes to go to a lot-” 

“The Brews Brothers.” Sam supplied. “I guess it’s worth a try, though I doubt that’s where he’s been the past few days. The man doesn’t even like coffee that much. He just pretends he does.” 

“It’s just not his cup of tea, I guess you could say.” Bucky stood up, going to grab his jacket off the back off a kitchen chair. 

Sam gave him an incredulous look. “I seriously can’t tell if you meant for that to be a joke since you’re face only has one expression- pissed off.” 

A corner of Bucky’s mouth quirked up before he pulled his jacket on. Sam didn’t know whether to laugh or be even more worried. He stood up, instead, and headed for the door. 

“Why does everything go to shit so much faster when Steve’s not around?” Sam asked, mostly to himself. 

Bucky grunted behind him in response. 

“Then again, a lot of stuff goes to shit _because_ Steve is around.” Sam mused. “I should really stop hanging out with old men.” 

“I’m spryer than you’ll ever be.” Bucky countered, falling into step with Sam as they walked to the elevator. 

Sam pushed- more like punched- the button to call the elevator. “Fight me, Metallica.” 

“Anytime you want, bird-brain.” 

Sam fake-laughed as they stepped into the elevator and Bucky pressed the button for the first floor. “Wow, so original. You sure your mind’s not starting to catch up to your age?” 

Bucky shot him a dirty look. He opened his mouth to retort but an old lady stepped into the elevator on one of the other floors, fitting herself in between the two of them. Bucky settled for glaring at Sam over the top of her head, and Sam grinned back. 

Bucky ducked his head when they stepped off the elevator. Though no one was really out to get Bucky anymore, Sam assumed it had become a habit over time for him to make himself obscure. Sam shrugged the thought off and led them outside and down the street. 

The coffee shop was on the corner of the next street over, tucked in between an ice cream parlor and a convenience store. There was nothing flashy about the coffee shop; it was a small place, but tidy and comfy. Plus, they didn’t skimp on the espresso, which Sam could appreciate. 

There was barely anyone inside the shop when Sam and Bucky walked in. A young couple sat in a corner in the back, and two parents and their two children sat at a table in the middle of the floor. A teenager with thick-rimmed glasses greeted both of them from behind the counter. 

“Hey, there.” Sam said. “Can I have a house latte, please?” 

“I thought we were here to get information.” Bucky whispered to Sam. 

“And a chamomile tea for my friend here. Both to-go.” Sam said, ignoring Bucky. 

“Great.” The barista said. “Anything else?” 

“Yes.” Sam replied, passing over the money for the drinks. “We’re looking for a missing friend, and we were wondering if maybe you’ve seen him in here over the past three days.” He showed the worker a photo of Steve on his phone. 

The guy shook his head. “My boss might’ve seen him. He’s been working the floor lately. I’ll get him for you and get your drinks started.” 

“Much appreciated.” Sam leaned back from the counter when the kid left. He turned to Bucky. “Patience, old one.” 

Bucky came close to rolling his eyes. “Let’s see if we actually get anything out of this.” 

A balding middle-aged man came up to the counter, and the barista started on Sam’s coffee behind him. “What can I do for you fellas?” The man asked, clearly a little annoyed at being dragged out to the counter. 

“We’re looking for this man.” Sam held his phone up again. “Can you remember if he’s been here at any time over the past three days?” 

The man briefly studied the photo. “Yeah, I know this guy. Regular customer. He came in on Friday, and we chatted a bit.” 

“About what?” Bucky asked. 

“He said something about heading out west. Out of the state, I think. I don’t remember exactly what he said.” 

Bucky leaned over the counter aggressively. “Why don’t you try to remember?” 

The man eyed Bucky up warily. “I, uh, he said it wasn’t really anybody’s business.” 

“What wasn’t anybody’s business?” Sam leaned over the counter, too. 

The man glanced between Sam and Bucky. “Alright, alright, just calm down, boys. He said he was gonna drive to Pennsylvania. Go to Pittsburgh to look for someone. That’s all I’ve got, I swear.” Sam and Bucky exchanged a look. Sam straightened up, and Bucky did the same. The barista placed their drinks on the counter, then backed away quickly without making eye contact with either of them. 

“Thank you for your time.” Sam said, picking up the two drinks. 

Sam handed Bucky his drink before heading outside. The two of them started back towards Steve’s apartment. 

“Pennsylvania, huh?” Sam said, taking a swig of his coffee. “Wonder who Steve’s looking for.” 

Bucky shrugged. “Should we go look for him?” 

“Better safe than sorry. I guess it’d be worth it to drive there and try to find him.” 

“Do I get to sit in the front seat where there’s leg room?” Bucky asked. He took a sip of his tea, scowled at it, then took another sip. 

“Passenger seat’s all yours.” 

*** 

“Please tell me that’s not all you’re bringing.” 

Bucky glanced up at Sam, then frowned down at his backpack, which was woefully empty in Sam’s eyes. “I’ve survived off less.” 

“You’re not surviving right now. You’re traveling.” Sam said, going into his room to grab a handful of extra shirts and pants. He raised his voice so Bucky could hear him. “We’re going to Pennsylvania, man; you can take more than one outfit, a toothbrush, and a couple of energy bars with you.” 

Sam heard Bucky huff in the other room. Sam went back to the kitchen where Bucky was seated and chucked the extra clothes at him. Bucky caught all but one shirt, which fell to the floor. Bucky gave him a confused look. 

“Take them.” Sam said. “Borrow, actually. I better get all of my clothes back when we get back from the trip.” 

“Uh, thanks.” Bucky responded. He picked the uncaught shirt off the floor, then proceeded to refold each of the clothes neatly before putting them in his backpack. 

Sam stuffed a box of granola bars in Bucky’s backpack before checking over his own duffel bag to make sure he’d remembered everything. “My suit’s in the car, Natasha knows where we’re going, and you won’t be wearing the same two outfits over-and-over again. I think we’re good to go.” 

Bucky nodded. “Let’s go find Steve.” 

They grabbed their bags and headed out of Sam’s apartment. Sam made sure to lock his door before leaving the complex. His car sat in its parking space, a bit dirt-covered from recent disuse. He unlocked his car and shoved his bag into the backseat, and Bucky did the same with his backpack. 

Sam and Bucky climbed into the car, shutting the doors almost synchronously. Sam started the car, and, with one final shared glance with Bucky, pulled out of the parking spot. 

“Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a long trip?” Sam asked out loud. 

Bucky sank down in his seat. “Probably because it will be.” 

A silence fell over the two men quickly, back-dropped by the sound of the engine. Sam didn’t really mind, though. It was hard enough trying to make conversation with Bucky. He would’ve liked to have gone looking for Steve on his own but Natasha had practically forced Sam to take Bucky along with him on the trip because it’d be ‘good for the both of them.’ 

Sam shook his head a bit, trying to focus only on driving. Everything became less crowded and more peaceful as they left the city. Sam honestly didn’t get out of the city enough. Even Bucky seemed to relax as the buildings slowly trickled down to few and far between along the highway. 

They were barely even two hours along their trip when one of the back tires blew out. Sam felt and heard it pop as the car jerked to the right. He cursed out loud, pulling over onto the shoulder of the highway. Bucky sat up straight, giving Sam a confused look. 

“Dammit.” Sam said, hitting the steering wheel with his palm. “I should’ve checked the tires before we left.” He put the car in park, turned on the hazard lights, and opened the door to step out. 

Bucky got out as well, following Sam to the back of the car. Sure enough, the tire on the right side had a hole in it the length of Sam’s hand. Sam sighed loudly. He opened up the back of the car and grabbed his emergency toolbox, shoving it into Bucky’s hands. Then he opened up the compartment in the back where the spare tire and jack was. 

“We’ll have to exchange out the tires, and find a mechanic somewhere to fix this mess.” Sam said, turning to Bucky. “It’s your lucky day because you get to be the one to change the tire.” 

“Why me?” Bucky asked, setting the toolbox down on the ground. 

“Because you’ve got to pull your weight somehow. And because I don’t want to. And also because I said so. I’ve got a lot of reasons.” Sam handed Bucky the jack. 

Bucky shot Sam a look but set off to change the tire without another word, placing the jack carefully under the car. Sam sat down next to Bucky, staring at the empty green space across the road. A few trees and a couple of spread out houses dotted the landscape, but there wasn’t much else to it. 

“What if Steve went to Pennsylvania to join an Amish community?” Sam mused. “That would explain him not responding to any calls or texts.” 

Bucky snorted a little as he unscrewed the lug nuts. “Captain Amish.” 

Sam snorted, too. “Maybe he got fed up with all the new technology like a senile old man.” 

Bucky chuckled. “Hey, maybe I’ll join him. He might have the right idea there.” 

“I’d love to see that.” Sam grinned at Bucky, which earned him a smile back. It felt like a win. Not that Sam was keeping track of how often Bucky smiled around him, but if he was, that was the second time it’d happened since the last time they’d been in a car together. 

Bucky put the spare tire in place and set to securing it, his face softer now. “Steve’s a good guy, but he doesn’t always think through his actions.” 

“Tell me about it.” Sam replied. “I can’t imagine what he was like before going all super soldier.” 

“Pretty much the same except smaller.” Bucky tightened the last lug nut before removing the jack. “I’ve never met a man so eager to fight.” He put all the tools back in the box, then sat back, staring out across the road with Sam. 

Sam blew air out his nose. “I hope Steve’s okay.” 

“Me, too.” 

Sam patted Bucky’s leg awkwardly. “We better find a mechanic around here. I don’t trust that spare tire very much.” 

Bucky hummed to himself and stood up. He offered a hand to Sam. Sam hesitated before taking it and letting Bucky help him up. 

“At least we’re off to a great start.” Bucky joked as they clambered back into the car after putting everything away. 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t get any greater than this.” Sam replied. 

Sam looked over at Bucky sitting next to him in the auto shop. Bucky was slowly sliding down further in the chair, clearly as bored as Sam. They’d been waiting for half an hour for the mechanic to finish working on an elderly man’s car so that Sam could get his tire changed.

“Hey.” Sam whispered to Bucky. 

Bucky lifted his head slightly to look at Sam. 

“What if Steve went to Pennsylvania to get fudge?” 

“Philly cheesesteak sounds better.” 

“Good point.” Sam’s stomach grumbled in response. He slapped Bucky’s arm lightly. “Granola bars.” 

Bucky sat up to shrug off his backpack, then shoved it into Sam’s lap. Sam took a granola bar out of the box he’d stuffed in there before handing the backpack back to Bucky. Bucky took out an energy bar, then slipped the straps of the bag back onto his shoulders. He slumped down again in the chair while they ate in companionable silence. 

The mechanic came back into the room to talk to the elderly man. It seemed like there was another problem with the car that would require extra time to fix. 

“Can’t you like,” Sam said, “tell your friend that we’re in a hurry.” 

“What friend?” Bucky asked. He noticed Sam’s pointed look at the elderly man, and sighed. “Really?” 

“Don’t you know everyone over seventy? Hey! No fair.” Sam glared at Bucky for slapping his granola bar out of his hand. He leaned over to pick it up and chuck it into the trash. He grabbed Bucky’s energy bar from his hand and proceeded to eat it in place of his fallen food. 

“Dick.” Bucky muttered. 

“Asshole.” Sam responded. 

*** 

“No.” Sam said, finally back on the highway after another hour at the auto shop. “No way. No. Not happening.” 

“But-” 

“Nope.” Sam interrupted Bucky. He glanced over to be met with a pitifully sad face. “Fucking- you know what? Fine. We’ll have it your way.” Sam pulled over onto the shoulder of the road and started to reverse carefully. “But if that thing is rabid or pees all over my car, I’m holding you responsible.” 

Bucky grinned. That was three times. Not that Sam was keeping count, obviously. 

Sam braked when he’d gotten close to the dog wandering around near the side of the road. It looked like a golden retriever, but its hair was matted down with dirt and grime, and it seemed like it hadn’t eaten in days. Bucky hopped out of the car and approached the dog gradually, holding out his non-metal hand. The dog hunched over and started backing up. Sam continued to watch in amusement as Bucky coaxed the dog towards him slowly but surely. 

“You’re crazy, you know that?” Sam asked as Bucky tried to convince the dog to hop into the backseat of the car. 

Bucky frowned. “I’m not going to leave a stray dog on the side of the road.” He patted his legs. “Come on, girl. Just one little jump.” 

Sam whistled once, sharply. The dog’s ears popped up at the sound and she leapt into the car. She immediately stumbled over the bags to inspect Sam. Sam tolerated the sniffing but shooed her away when she tried licking his face. 

Bucky chuckled as he climbed into the passenger seat. “See? It’s not so bad. She likes you.” 

Sam scowled. “I’m holding you accountable for all of her actions.” 

Bucky turned around in his seat to pet the dog. “Who’s a good girl? You are. Yes, you are.” 

“Okay, we get it.” Sam said as he pulled back onto the highway. “You and the dog are fucking cute.” 

Bucky stopped baby-talking the dog and looked at Sam with wide eyes. “You think I’m cute?” 

Sam stammered for a second. “What? No. I never said that. You must be hearing things.” 

Bucky poked Sam in the side playfully, making Sam squirm. “You’re cute, too, Sam. We’re a cute trio.” 

Sam felt his face heat up. “Drop it, Barnes.” 

Bucky sat forward in the seat, putting his metal hand gently on top of the dog’s head when she rested it on the armrest. “I probably won’t.” 

Sam rolled his eyes. “I’ll keep denying it.” 

Bucky made a small, self-satisfied noise before turning back to the dog. “How about Suzanne for her name?” 

“No way. She’s a dog, not an old southern woman.” 

*** 

Sam pulled into a parking space outside a small town pet store twenty minutes later, listening to Bucky keep rambling off names. 

“Becky.” Bucky said. 

“No. Too close to your name.” 

“Captain Amish.” 

“Ha. No.” Sam got out of the car. “You stay here with Unnamed Dog and keep thinking of _actual_ names while I get some dog food.” 

“Richard Nixon.” Bucky called out after Sam as he walked to the doors of the store. 

Sam spun around briefly to flip Bucky off before going into the store. He grabbed a bag of food, a collar, a leash, and a bowl off the shelves and paid for the stuff before coming back to the car. He threw it all in the back while the dog licked at his hands. 

“Sarah.” Bucky said when Sam was in the driver’s seat. “It was Steve’s mom’s name.” 

“I like that.” Sam responded. He pulled out onto the road and set off again towards Pittsburgh. “Steve would appreciate that.” 

“Yeah.” Bucky said. He rummaged around in the backseat and pulled out the collar Sam had bought. “This is the brightest shade of pink I’ve ever seen.” 

“It’s actually for you. Thought it’d go great with your sunshiny personality.” Sam retorted. 

“Ooh, kinky.” Bucky placed the collar on Sarah’s neck and secured it in place. Then he hauled the bag of food and the bowl into his lap. He opened the bag and dipped the bowl in before placing the bowl on the floor of the backseat. 

Sam heard Sarah jump down from the seat and start to scarf the food down. “You think her owners dumped her out in the middle of nowhere?” 

Bucky shoved the bag of food back into the backseat. “They must’ve. I can’t imagine who’d do such a thing.” 

Sam shook his head. “Poor thing. We should find a vet around here and get her cleaned up and checked out.” 

“You do realize that you didn’t want to even pick her up in the first place, right?” 

“Yes, I do.” Sam glared over at Bucky. “But that was because we didn’t know if she was rabid or not. I wasn’t about to go out there and get bit and die.” 

“Yeah, sure. Hey, I think I see a vet clinic over there.” Bucky pointed off to the left. 

*** 

When Sam and Bucky got back into the car after getting out of the vet clinic, Sarah was clean and had a shiny new tag declaring her name to go on her collar. The vet hadn’t been able to find a microchip, so they had no idea who the old owners could’ve been, but that didn’t bother Sam. 

Sarah sat in the back, panting happily while Sam got back on the road. “You know,” Sam said, “we should’ve been halfway to Pittsburgh by now. Instead, we’re only about a fourth of the way there.” 

“You’re the one who has control of the car.” Bucky said as he pulled his hair up into a bun and secured it in place with a hair tie. Then he propped his feet up on the dashboard and pulled his jacket tighter around him. “I’m just along for the ride.” 

Sam shook his head. “You’re the one who gets to drive us back because I’m certainly not doing it.” He paused. “Okay, what if Steve wanted to go to Hersheypark by himself? Wanted to ride some rides.” 

Bucky made a small noise. “Too many creepy candy-bar mascots.” 

“Agreed.” 

Bucky sighed quietly, tilting his head towards Sam. “I get to keep Sarah, right?” 

Sam glanced over at Bucky. “You? Uh, no. You’re not the one whose car is all dirty now with mud and drool and fur.” 

A corner of Bucky’s mouth quirked up. “Shared custody?” 

“I’ll consider it.” 

“Dick.” 

“Asshole.” 

*** 

“See, here’s the thing,” Bucky said around a mouthful of fries, “about dogs: they need constant care and attention. With shared custody, we can have a schedule where Sarah gets to have that. When you’re out doing your thing, I get her. And when I’m out doing my thing, you get her.” 

“And just what _is_ your thing?” Sam said teasingly before finishing off the rest of his burger. There weren’t many other people in the diner since he and Bucky had stopped there after the lunch rush. Sarah was in the car with a window rolled down, enjoying the cool breeze. 

“You know.” 

Sam waited for more elaboration but didn’t get any. “I don’t know, actually. I’m just going to assume you’ve become a stripper until told otherwise.” 

“Hey, stripping is a good money-maker, from what I’ve heard. People put themselves through school that way.” 

“I never said anything bad about it. I totally respect anyone who does it, the same as any other job. But I would pay good money to see you doing that.” 

Bucky raised his eyebrows. “What are we talking here? Like handing out twenties? Because if you’re willing to pay, I’m willing to entertain.” 

Sam burst out laughing. “I’ll have to see how good you are first.” 

Bucky grinned, a small laugh escaping him. Four times. But Sam still wasn’t keeping count. He just liked seeing Bucky relaxed enough to smile. Okay, yeah, that wasn’t much better. How did he go from caring so little about the guy to wanting to see him smile? 

Sam checked his watch to take his mind off that thought. It was almost three in the afternoon, and they still had about two hours to go until they got to their destination. “No more stopping unless absolutely necessary.” Sam said. “Otherwise, we’ll never get to Pittsburgh.” 

Bucky nodded. “Alright.” 

Sam paid for their food, and they were back on the road a couple minutes later. Sam sent out a silent thanks when they made it the rest of the trip without having to stop. He pulled into a gas station outside of the city to fill up on gas for the trip back. Bucky stayed in the passenger seat with Sarah sprawled across the armrest and his lap. 

It would be getting dark in a couple hours. Sam wasn’t sure exactly how they’d find Steve in this place. He was hoping he and Bucky would be able to come up with something. It’s not exactly like they could track Steve’s phone, since he’d tried it before with no luck. 

Sam turned away from the gas pump when he heard a small knock on the car window. Bucky opened the car door to speak to Sam. 

“I’ve been thinking, and we might be able to track Steve if we can access some security cameras.” Bucky said, as if he had read Sam’s mind. 

Sam rested his arms across the top of the car. “We have no idea which ones to even look at or how to get access to them.” 

“We can start here. If we had to stop to get gas, then Steve probably did, too.” Bucky gently urged Sarah out of his lap. She huffed before moving back to the backseat. “Let me go in and talk to the store clerk.” 

“Intimidation only, Barnes.” Sam called out after Bucky as he made his way into the convenience store. “Don’t get physical.” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Bucky called back monotonously as the door closed behind him. 

Sam sighed and shook his head. “You believe this guy?” He said to Sarah, who only tilted her head at him. “That’s what I thought.” He heard the gas pump click, so he put it back on its hook and waited for his receipt to print. He grabbed it and sat down in the passenger seat, waiting for Bucky. 

Bucky came back out twenty minutes later and walked up to Sam. “Steve was here. He showed up on the security footage a couple days ago, around midnight. My best guess is he found a hotel or motel to stay at near here. If he’s still in the city, then we might as well check around some places and see if his name pops up.” 

“Good deal. Now, we better get out of here before anyone calls the police for harassment.” Sam said. He tossed his keys to Bucky, who caught them gracefully. “I’ll trust you to the transportation.” 

“I thought you were kidding about me driving earlier.” Bucky said. “I mean, I kind of yanked the steering wheel out of the last car you drove.” A dark expression passed over his face. 

Sam picked up on his discomfort. “That wasn’t you, man. Plus, there’s no way I’m letting you fuck up the steering wheel this time around.” 

Bucky hesitated, then nodded. He got in the driver’s seat and started up the car. Sam pulled himself fully into the car and shut the door before buckling himself in. They stopped at five different hotels and motels without any luck before Sam decided they should call it quits. 

“We should check into a motel ourselves.” Sam said, his eyes half closed. “We can keep searching tomorrow.” 

Bucky hummed in agreement. “I guess it is starting to get late.” He drove for another ten minutes until he pulled into the parking lot of a small motel that allowed pets. 

They grabbed their bags from the backseat, and Bucky put Sarah on a leash before they went in and checked out a room. The room wasn’t anything fancy, just a small room with an old T.V., a bathroom with a tiny shower, and one queen-size bed. 

Sam threw his bag down haphazardly, kicked his shoes off, and fell face-first into bed. “Fucking Steve can’t even be bothered to tell us where he is.” He mumbled. 

“You think he’d learn by now to do that.” Bucky muttered. Sam heard him moving about, then felt the bed dip under his added weight after the lights had been turned off. Sarah jumped up on the bed and fit herself in between the Sam and Bucky, sniffing Sam’s head briefly before laying her head down next to his. Sam shut his eyes and let sleep gently and slowly pull him under. 

*** 

Sam rolled out of bed blearily the next morning, not even bothering to check the time. He stripped out of his clothes on the way to the bathroom and, after fiddling with the knobs for a good two minutes, stepped under the warm water of the shower. He blinked back his sleepiness, letting the water gradually wake him up. 

When he stepped out of the bathroom, covered only by a towel, Bucky was just sitting up in bed, his hair a mess. Bucky yawned and rubbed at his eyes. It was cuter than Sam would’ve cared to admit. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead.” Sam said as he scooped up his dirty clothes and switched them out for clean ones from his bag. 

“’Morning.” Bucky slurred. Sarah sat up as well and licked his face, which seemed to wake Bucky up a little faster. He pushed her away gently. 

“What, not a big fan of morning kisses?” Sam teased. He noticed when Bucky’s gaze lingered on his bare chest for a bit longer than necessary. 

“Not when there’s dog breath involved.” Bucky kicked the covers off himself and stood up. He hadn’t bothered to change out of yesterday’s clothes either before going to bed. He moved for the bathroom, letting his hand brush against Sam’s hip lightly as he passed him. 

The bathroom door shut without ceremony behind Bucky. Sam stared at it for a good minute before getting dressed quickly. He didn’t know exactly what to think about what just happened. Maybe he was just reading into things too much. 

Sam stepped outside with Sarah for some fresh air. He hoped that they’d find Steve soon. Or that Steve would finally contact him. Anything to quell his fears. 

Sarah gently licked his hand. Sam bent down to pet her, then buried his nose in the fur along the side of her neck. He heard the door to his and Bucky’s room open and looked up to see Bucky standing in the doorway wearing Sam’s t-shirt. 

“Are you alright?” Bucky asked, concern lacing his voice. “You look a little off.” 

“Yeah.” Sam answered automatically. He stood up and Sarah barked quietly. “Wanna go get some breakfast?” 

“Sure.” Bucky searched Sam’s face for a second longer, then went back into the room to grab his bag. Sam followed suit, and soon all three of them were back in the car with Sam driving. 

*** 

“I feel like we’ve checked every hotel, and he’s not here.” Bucky said as he leaned against the hood of the car. They were outside a hotel now, about two hours past breakfast, after trying to find out if Steve was staying there, to no avail. It was getting tiresome. 

Sam sat down on the hood next to Bucky. “I’m not feeling good about any of this, Bucky. We know Steve was here but what if he already left the city?” 

“It’s a possibility.” Bucky conceded. “If we can’t find any more clues about where he went, we’ll have to get more people in on the search.” 

Sam sighed. “There’s not much we can do now except wander around the city a bit and ask around for information. But right now, I could really use another cup of coffee.” 

“Me, too.” 

They were able to find a coffee shop not too far from where they’d been, and now they were walking along with their coffee and Sarah by the water. Sam took a deep breath, the scent of river water and fresh coffee mingling together in the air. He subconsciously inched closer to Bucky when the wind picked up, chilly and wet. 

Bucky stepped closer as well, then snuck his cold metal hand up underneath Sam’s jacket and shirt. Sam jumped at the sudden contact, pushing Bucky’s arm away. 

“Douchebag.” Sam said, but he couldn’t help from smiling when Bucky started laughing. He bumped his shoulder against Bucky’s, then swiftly switched to walking on Bucky’s right side. 

Bucky was still laughing, looking so carefree and happy in the moment. Five times. Sam felt something stir in him at that moment, seeing this side of Bucky. It was new and frightening, but Sam wouldn’t have changed any of this for the world. He liked being around Bucky. 

“What?” Bucky asked, a small smile lingering on his lips. 

“What do you mean ‘what’?” Sam replied. 

“You’re staring at me.” 

Sam could feel his face heat up a bit. “No, it’s just- I, uh, like seeing you smile.” 

“Oh.” Bucky looked flustered for a moment. He took a sip of his coffee before speaking again. “I guess I like seeing you smile, too.” 

“You guess? Are you telling me that you’re not completely charmed by the signature Sam Wilson smile?” Sam joked. 

“Is that how you see it?” Bucky said playfully. “Smile for me one more time. Once more. Okay, now you’re just making ridiculous faces.” 

Sam chuckled. “You’re not so bad, Bucky Barnes.” 

“You either, Sam Wilson. Now, smile for me again.” Bucky laughed when Sam punched him in the arm. “I’m kidding, man.” 

*** 

“This is hopeless.” Sam said, resisting the urge to bang his head against the dashboard. “We’ve talked to tons of people, and nobody’s seen Steve. I’m starting to think he’s not here.” 

Bucky let his head fall back against the headrest. “There’s got to be somebody who knows where he is. Steve’s not really the inconspicuous type, so I doubt he’s gone completely unnoticed, wherever he is.” 

“Maybe we should go back to New York. There must’ve been some clue we missed.” 

Sarah whined in the backseat, and Bucky reached over to pet her. “I don’t know. We can’t just give up so easily.” 

Sam blinked against the setting sun. It was past six in the evening, and they’d spent the majority of the day asking around for Steve. No one had seen him, or at least no one had said anything about seeing him. It was getting frustrating and demoralizing. They could be looking in the completely wrong place, for all they knew. 

“Why don’t we get some dinner, then head back to the motel?” Sam offered. “We can come up with a different approach for tomorrow.” 

Bucky nodded. “Fine.” 

They drove to the nearest fast food restaurant to eat before returning to the motel. The parking lot was even more deserted than yesterday. Sam and Bucky grabbed their bags and trudged up the stairs with Sarah right behind them. 

Sam only just managed to convince himself not to sleep in his clothes again. He searched through his bag for a t-shirt and sweatpants before pulling them out. He glanced over at Bucky to find him pulling his shirt off, exposing skin defined by muscle and laced by years of scars. Sam didn’t avert his gaze soon enough because Bucky’s eyes locked with his from across the room. 

Bucky let his shirt drop to the ground unceremoniously. It was as if something in the air between them changed suddenly. Sam stood up as Bucky walked over to him, and Bucky pressed the front of his body against Sam’s. Sam inhaled sharply. 

Bucky was looking at Sam with an intensity that should’ve scared him. Instead, Sam reached up and cupped the side of Bucky’s face gently. Bucky moved into the touch, his stubble scratching Sam’s palm. He leaned in towards Sam, and Sam prepared himself for what came next. 

Then Bucky backed away abruptly, a look of panic on his face. He turned away from Sam and quickly switched into his pajamas, and climbed into bed without another word. Sam stared at his form under the covers for a long time, dumbstruck. 

Sam finally changed out of his clothes, too, and got into bed with his back turned to Bucky. Sarah jumped up onto the bed and laid down between him and Bucky like she had the night before. Sam stared off into the dark, listening to Sarah and Bucky’s combined breathing, wondering what had just happened. Eventually, he drifted off to sleep. 

*** 

Sam woke up to the sound of his phone ringing. He rolled out of bed and fumbled through the dark to his bag. He pulled his phone out of the bag to answer it without looking at who was calling him, assuming it would be Natasha. 

“Hello?” Sam said groggily. 

“Sam?” 

Sam straightened up quickly, recognizing the voice on the other end of the phone. “Steve?” 

Steve sighed in relief. “Sam. I’m glad I remembered your number.” 

Sam blinked quickly when the lights in the room were turned on. Bucky had woken up, too. He moved to stand next to Sam, squinting like he was still half asleep. 

Sam put his phone on speaker. “What’s going on, Steve? Where are you?” 

“I’m in New Jersey. In Trenton. I was following the trail of some Hydra agents, but I lost them.” 

“Is that why you haven’t been answering any of my calls or texts?” 

Steve laughed uncomfortably. “I actually broke my phone a few days ago and just got around to getting a new one. I’m sorry about that.” 

Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes even though Steve couldn’t see him. Bucky rested his forehead on Sam’s shoulder. Sam felt like he was surrounded on all sides by bizarre people. 

“Let me guess: you need someone to pick you up.” Sam said. 

“Yeah.” Steve answered with a bit of shame in his voice. “I would really appreciate that.” 

Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Alright. Text me your location, and Bucky and I will get there as soon as we can.” 

“Right. Wait, Bucky is with you? Where are you?” 

“Yes. We’re in Pittsburgh. We can tell you about it when we get to you.” Sam and Steve said goodbye to each other before Sam hung up. “I’m going to punch that man and no one can stop me.” 

“I definitely won’t.” Bucky said, lifting his head off of Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam watched Bucky go into the bathroom to take a shower. He didn’t know if he wanted to discuss what had happened last night between them. Sam wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it yet, but at the same time he knew he wouldn’t get anywhere without talking it through. Bucky had freaked out on him and left him hanging so suddenly, and for some reason it made Sam’s chest ache. 

Sam took his own shower after Bucky, avoiding eye contact with the other man. When he got out, Bucky and Sarah weren’t in the room. Sam dressed quickly and grabbed his bag, noting Bucky’s backpack was gone, before heading outside. Bucky was by the car, playing with Sarah. Sam checked out of the motel, then made his way to the car. 

“Hey.” Sam said to Bucky after he put his bag in the backseat. “What’s going on in your head?” He asked softly, leaning against the car. 

Bucky stiffened visibly. He stopped petting Sarah and faced Sam, his brow furrowed. “I guess you’re referring to last night. I’m not sure.” He answered in a slightly strangled voice. He kicked at the ground lightly, his boot making a scuffing noise. “I’ve got so much running through my mind all the time.” 

“Then tell me what’s on your mind. Anything at all.” 

Bucky drew in a deep breath, then blew it out. “A lot of things. I feel like everyone is so worried about me turning all Winter Soldier on them again, even Steve. I’m starting to worry about that, too.” Bucky came to stand next to Sam, avoiding eye contact. “Sam, I like you a lot more than I could’ve ever imagined. But I don’t know if I could ever act on those feelings when I’m so terrified that I’ll go back to being the killer I used to be.” 

“You’re not that person anymore. The person I know is warm and kind and funny and he knows that he doesn’t want to harm people anymore. You’re not the Winter Soldier. You’re Bucky Barnes, and no one else.” Sam tenderly pushed a stray strand of hair out of Bucky’s face, letting his hand stop and linger on his neck. 

Bucky shut his eyes, a pained expression crossing his face. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He whispered. 

“You won’t.” Sam whispered back. He leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on the corner of Bucky’s mouth. 

Sam started to pull away but Bucky placed a hand on the back of Sam’s head and pulled him back in. Bucky kissed Sam like he wouldn’t need to breathe ever again, deep and passionate. Sam gripped Bucky’s hips, trying to get as close to him as possible. All he wanted in that moment was Bucky. Sam hadn’t realized how head-over-heels for the other man he was until now. 

Bucky eventually broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Sam’s and panting. Sam couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him. 

Bucky grinned. Another one added to Sam’s list. “What are you laughing about?” 

“I’m just happy.” Sam replied truthfully. 

Bucky chuckled. “That’s really sappy.” 

“I can be sappier. You want to try me?” Sam placed a kiss to Bucky’s forehead. 

“No, please, we should really be getting to New Jersey.” Bucky laughed as he swatted at Sam trying to place kisses along his jaw. 

“Fine. I guess we better.” Sam let go of Bucky and fished his keys out of his pocket before getting into the driver’s seat. 

Bucky threw his backpack into the car and ushered Sarah in. He took his place in the passenger seat, his face a light shade of red. Bucky denied that he was blushing when Sam pointed it out, but a small smile still played on his lips. 

*** 

“Hey, guys.” Steve said with a big grin on his face. “I’m so glad to-” He let out a surprised noise when Sam punched him on one shoulder and Bucky punched him on the other. 

“Do you know how worried we were about you?” Sam asked as he sat down across from Steve in a Denny’s. Bucky sat down in the chair next to him. 

“We thought you’d run off to join the Amish community.” Bucky said. 

Steve crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed his shoulders. “The Amish? Why would I- You know what, never mind. I’m sorry, guys. I had no idea you were so worried.” 

“You didn’t tell any of us where you were going.” Sam said. “We ended up in Pennsylvania looking for you only to find out that you haven’t been there in days.” 

“Dick.” Bucky supplied at the end of Sam’s sentence. 

“Asshole.” Sam agreed. “But we’re glad you’re fine.” 

“Yeah.” Bucky said. “We are.” 

Steve’s expression softened. “Thanks. I promise I won’t go chasing Hydra agents again without telling you where I’m going.” 

“You’re going to take us next time, Rodgers.” Bucky said sternly. 

Steve put his hands up defensively. “Alright. I’ll take you with me next time. And, again, I’m sorry I put you two through this.” 

Sam and Bucky both leaned back in their chairs, satisfied with Steve’s response. When the waitress came by, they gave her their orders. 

“We have a dog now because of all this.” Bucky said when the waitress was gone. 

Steve raised his eyebrows. “Who is ‘we’?” 

“Me and Sam. We have shared custody.” 

“We never agreed to that.” Sam interjected. “How do I know you won’t bring home strange men when she’s with you?” 

“I think you’d be the only man I’d be bringing to my apartment.” Bucky uttered. “Besides Steve, of course.” 

“Woah, when did this happen?” Steve asked pointing between the Sam and Bucky. “You two got close really fast.” 

Sam and Bucky stumbled over each other’s words, trying to explain themselves. They went quiet when the waitress brought them their food. Sam spoke once she was gone. 

“We’ve been stuck in a car together for almost three days now without killing each other. What else do you expect?” Sam said. Bucky shrugged in agreement. 

“So is this just friendship or something more?” Steve asked keenly. 

When Bucky and Sam started talking over one another again but not really explaining anything, Steve held up a hand to stop them. 

“You’ll tell me in your own time, I’m sure.” Steve said. “For now, let’s just eat.” 

*** 

“Who’s a good girl? Who’s a good girl? You are. Yes, you are.” 

Sam shut his eyes as he stretched out on his couch. “Bucky, I swear to god, you baby talk that dog more than you would an actual baby.” 

“Who doesn’t like that I express my love for you more than for him? Sam does. Yes, Sam does.” Bucky said from behind the couch. He’d been laying on the floor and playing with Sarah for a good ten minutes after coming home. 

Sam felt a cold metal hand snake under the hem of his shirt. He grabbed Bucky’s wrist as he opened his eyes, and pulled Bucky down over the top of the couch. Bucky bent over as far as he could to place a kiss on Sam’s lips. 

“I love you, Sam.” Bucky said with a grin. 

“I love you, too, Bucky.” Sam said with his own grin. “But we do need to talk about all that bacon you’ve been feeding Sarah. She’s gained like five pounds since the last time we took her to the vet.” 

Bucky came around the couch so that he could squeeze his way onto the couch next to Sam. Instead, he just ended up on top of Sam with Sam’s arm holding him in place. 

“I’m making up for that diet she had to go on a few months ago. I bet she’s glad I moved in with you when I did. Now there’s no more shared custody and lots of bacon. We get to be one big happy family.” Bucky laid his head down on Sam’s chest. 

Sarah came over to sit by them, panting happily. 

“You do realize that she went on that diet because she was overweight, right?” Sam said, running his fingers through Bucky’s hair affectionately. 

Bucky sighed contentedly. “Details, Sam, details.” 

“You should be glad you’re both cute.” 

**Author's Note:**

> [My tumblr](http://kitty-514.tumblr.com)  
>  Feel free to come chat with me about anything


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